74 HERSCHEL AND HIS \VOKK 



"In the fabulous ages of ancient times the appellations 

 of Mercury. \ nus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn were 

 given to the planets as being tin names of their 

 principal heroes and divinities. 1 In the present more 

 philosophical a?ra, it would hardly be allowable to 

 have recourse to the same method, and call on Juno, 

 Pallas, Apollo, or Minerva for a name to our new 

 heavenly body. Tlu first consideration in any par- 

 ticular event, or i.maikaM. incident, seems to be its 

 chronology: if in any future age it should be asked, 

 when this last-found planet was discovered? it would 

 be a very satisfactory answer to say, ' In the Reign of 

 King George the Third.' As a philosopher then, the 

 name of GEOROIUM SIDUS presents itself to me, as an 

 appellation which will conveniently convey the in- 

 formation of the time and country where and wlu-n it, 

 was brought to view. But as a subject of the b< 

 Kinijs, who is the liberal protector of every art and 

 science; as a native of the country from whence this 

 illustrious Family was called to the British throne; 

 as a member of that Society, which flourishes by the 

 distinguished liberality of its Royal Patron; and, 

 last of all, as a person now more immediately under 

 the protection of this excellent Monarch, and owing 

 everything to His unlimited bounty; I cannot but 

 wish to take this opportunity of expressing my sense 

 of gratitude, by giving the name Georgium Sidus, 



1 Georgium Sidus 

 jam nunc assuesce vocari' (Virg. Georg.), 



to a star, which (with respect to us) first began to 

 shine under His auspicious reign. 



1 Herschel might have known better than write this : see M. de 

 Lalande's Astronomy, sees. 639, 640. 



